San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-10

happiness hitherto had lost their charm
She was restless aud dissatisfied. longing
for change and misunderstanding to
escape this dull, stagnant life. She had
tasted the wine Of the world, and there
was no going back TO the old life with the
old content. She had tasted, too, a yet
more intoxicating draught; and song OF
birds, and shallow Of woods and sunny sky
could no longer satisfy her Not love yet
not the love it might come TO be when
heart and mind, and all the germs of the
rich, imprisoned nature developed into
more perfect life; 1t was the promise of
spring to the fullness Of summer; heart and
imagination dHzZled, capivated. The girl
did not even whisper to herself the word
"lOve," but Max Beauregard filled all her
thoughts. She cherished with utmost care
the flowers he had given her. She even
selected few and put them in little en-
broidered bag, and hung it round her neck
by means Of silk ribbon. And all this
she did without an idea occurring to her
that any disloyalty to Louis was implied
In this loving care Of another mans gifts.
She watched the papers anxiously for
news of the troopship in which the -th
had sailed and the very name OF the ship,
beat. But she kept her own counsel, even
when Louis almost said he was glad the
military were gone She shrank instinc-
lively from hearing Max Beauregard's
name brought forward II she expressed
any regret; but she thought 1t very unkind
and selfish OF Louis to be glad for that
which deprived her Of pleasure. Did he
imagine, she said to herself, that she was
going to live in the country forever, and
content himself with his society alonei
one morning the postman brought to the
Lines letter addressed to Mr.. Herbert,
and with the Gloucester DOstmark upon it.
Uncle Will did not receive many letters,
and he did not know the handwriting of
this, but he carried II unopened into his
study.
Half an hour later he sent for his niece.
She found him sitting IN his usual place,
with a great tome before him. He handed
the girl a letter.
81 wish you to read that" he said, land
tell me what your wishes are"
Valerie, much surprised, read the fol-
lowing:
Langley Hall, near Gloucester, Aug. 90,
lSS-.
MI LEAN Mr. IlEhBEhI.
you may be astonished to hear from
one whom you have seen but once I'm your
life; but II you do not know me, you know
Of me, and | may therefore venture to
make to you an important proposition. !
heard from some London friends who were
present at a military bali at bennington,
that our niece Valerie created an eXtraor-
binary sensation, and was not only the
belle of that evening, but would be an as
sured success in LJn,iun. | need not tell
you how pleased | was TO hear so good an
account of the child: but it seems to me
grievOuS pity that SO fair a flower should
blush unseen in rural sOlitudeS. ] am
childless; let me have her, and bring her
out, treating Ecr in all respects as il she
were my own dHugtt"r. With her beauty
she should win a CUrOnet. | shall be in
town again in til" beginning of November.
| enlreat you consider well my PROPOSE
ton, ana WI " n me rs soon as your de-
cision is mn - remembering how entirely
advanta ,eOE~ ~ Valerie my offer is.
Please give my love to her and accept best